According to my Aunt I was the 4 Star general of Maids of Honour. So full of awesome.

 
(This is Shay and I by the way)

I had a hard time writing my speech. Really hard time. How to do capture a 25 year relationship into a three minute speech? I mean really?! Then I went out for a beer and nachos with John. Oh how a beer (or two) can give you the inspiration you need!

I'm Tania, Amanda’s Maid of Honor and, according to technicality, I am her cousin. I say we are cousins technically speaking because that's the truth. We ARE cousins in terms of strict relationship definitions. But in truth we're much closer than that. The fact is, for all intents and purposes, we are sisters. And even though we're three years apart in age, we really grew up together.

Amanda, throughout the years, I have been blessed with your presence. You've been that one rare person in my life who has always been there - with me, beside me...ever present...solid and dependable, forever seeing the lighter side, providing me with perspective, as only you can. I love you so fiercely I have trouble putting it into words so instead I turn to the other love of my life next to my husband, books, for the words I am searching for. I think Pablo Neruda put it best when he wrote, "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way."

On this auspicious occasion you will be receiving a lot of advice on married life and what to expect. But the truth is whether you’ve only been married 3 years like me or almost 30 years like my parents none of us really know what we’re doing. So rather than offering advice I’m going to give you something to consider. Your hands.

Years ago someone told me something about hands that I want to pass on to you. Imagine your hands represent your marriage. Your fingers are your strengths and the spaces between your fingers are your weaknesses. When you hold hands, your strengths will cover each others weaknesses making you stronger together than apart. Some other things to consider when you’re holding hands is that these are the hands, young and strong and vibrant with love, that held each other on your wedding day, as you promised to love you each other all the days of your life. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from each others eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These are the hands that will give you support and encourage you to chase down your dreams. Together, as a team, everything you wish for can be realized.

Today is that both of you will use your hands to build a marriage where all your dreams come true.

Prost!

My weekend was full of family stuff. My cousins staggette and then her shower. It was a long, tiring but amazing weekend. Though I was made painfully aware of the fact that my parents live 5000 km's away. Not intentionally obviously but at the shower when everyone was taking pictures with their moms (my cousins and their moms, my aunts and my Oma, then my Oma, great aunts and aunts) someone said, "Oh Tania it's too bad your mom isn't here. Now get in a picture with your aunts." I kind of wanted to cry at that moment. It kind of sucked...like a lot.

On the brighter side though my parents will be here thursday morning! I haven't seen them in a year. YAY!! John keeps correcting me that it has been 11 months....whatever. It's been a while.

And now for something completely different....look what I can do!

And futhermore...this picture was taken for Jamie and Macy
The outfit is for Jamie and the pose is for Macy!

So I had derby practice last night. As you can tell by the tidbits of conversation I posted yesterday. John has fully embraced the fact that his wife is now a Derby girl. Mind you he was also the first person to embrace me pole dancing for fun and recreation as well. Let's just put it this way, he embraces and accepts the fact his wife is not normal. I think secretly deep down he thinks it's totally hot but I think it might kill him to admit it. The rain managed to stay away which was nice however walking from the parking lot to the skatepark made you sweaty because of the humility. Hello summer in Manitoba.

Now I officially joined the league last month but due to other commiments such as work and otherwise I have not actually been able to make it to an official practice until last night. I made it out to a few free skates just to get comfy in my quads but nothing serious. But yeah the conversation after I got home last night was this;

*scene* Tatiana plods through the door tired and weary looking like a sherpa with a slurpee in her hand. She places the slurpee on the counter and then just drops everything else on the floor of the kitchen. She lays down on the floor just outside the kitchen.

John: The mighty derby girl has returned!!
Tatiana: *grunts*
John: How was practice?
Tatiana: Dude...you have no idea.
John: That good huh.
Tatiana: Have you ever heard of something called the derby tower of strength?
John: No but it sounds hot.
Tatiana: *gets off the floor and flops on the couch* Well lets just say it it weren't for pole dancing I don't think my body would ever forgive me.

That's twice now in less than a week I have praised pole dancing for coming into my life. If it wasn't for that I might have died doing the 20km walk for cancer care (walk report still to come.) And I might have had my legs give out on me during practice yesterday. A lot of it was off skate which was awesome. The stuff that was on skate was just a lot of trying to feel comfortable doing certain things and to work on stuff like stopping. Yes stopping on roller skates...not as easy as you think. (okay the last stop in the video I would not recommend in an actual bout...that's how ankels get broken!)

I knew I would hurt afterwards. That's a sign of a good workout. Now I didn't hurt as much as say after my first pole dancing class (some of you might remember me telling you I couldn't even do up my own bra.) But there is an element of pain today which is causing me to hobble about the office.

Now some of you might be wondering why the hell I'm doing this to myself. First it's because I've been a fan of roller derby for years and years and years. I love everything about it and when I found out I could be part of it. Well I couldn't not do it. What kind of example would that be setting for my goddaughter (whose derby name shall be Haylee Comet) and my non-existant children? Do what you love and have a ball doing it. Second this is me trying to put myself out there more. Meet new people. Learn new things. Try something new. I've been the new kid so many times in my life either at school or church or in the new neighbourhood we moved to. It's not easy always being the new kid. I think this is the reason John is such a homebody he never wants to be the new kid because he has never been the new kid. *Funny story* Last time we were in Pierson we drove by a girl who was walking. My sister in law says "That's the new girl." I ask, "Do we like the new girl" she says yes. John asks, "How long has she been the new girl?" She says, "Almost 2 years." That's a small town for you. *End of Funny story* Third you have no idea what kind of stress reliever this is! I haven't even actually done a bout yet and probably won't for a while and I've only been to one official practice but I felt so zen afterwards. I get the same zen feeling from pole dancing. YAY!

I'm very excited about what my future might hold in relation to debry so stay tuned.

ps. Weird fact about me I actually use the word "dude" in conversation. A lot. And not just with John.